Sir Alex Ferguson cherishes nothing more than the respect of the people in the game he himself admires, and he will never forget one particular remark from Alfredo Di Stefano. "Ferguson's players form not just a football team," the former great Real Madrid manager once said. "They are also an unstoppable spirit."

Now Manchester United will need to dredge up every ounce of that spirit if, somehow, they are to conclude what would be one of the greatest comebacks in the history of the game. It is a huge if, because there were spells last night when Real were so beguiling it was tempting to wonder why, having already greedily accumulated this force of individual brilliance, they should harbour aspirations to add David Beckham to their payroll.

This was a night when Beckham's club were desperately in need of the sort of indefatigable display that he regularly produces for his country, and he was found wanting.

Luis Figo, by comparison, illuminated the Bernabeu, and here was the indisputable evidence, if any was really still needed, that Zinedine Zidane remains on a different level to any other midfielder in the world.

In the midst of a painful inquest, Ferguson might have to ponder what effect all the transfer speculation had had on Figo.

The debate will last long about whether the Portuguese winger intended the flourish of his right boot that arced the ball into the top corner of Fabien Barthez's net but, for aesthetic value alone, it was proof that he is not prepared to relinquish his position to Beckham or anyone else.

For the Mancunians in the labyrinthine streets surrounding Plaza Mayor here yesterday afternoon there must have been something slightly disconcerting about the sight of Real Madrid shirts on sale with Beckham emblazoned across the back.

It was a surreal image. Ferguson might be correct to suspect his hosts concocted the transfer stories as some sort of Machiavellian hoax but, equally, the manager will have noted the Beatles-style reception afforded to his midfielder amid the chaos of Barajas airport on Monday afternoon.

Even if Real had no true intention of luring Beckham a few weeks ago, two days in Madrid have shown that the public clamour for the England captain here is so strong that the men in power at the Bernabeu may have little choice but to show their fans the promises are not hollow.

What Beckham did not show, however, was that his football could be as valuable to Real as his image rights. For long spells he was a peripheral figure, his delivery was below its usual standards of excellence and when he had his one sight of goal, midway through the second half, he screwed the shot horribly wide.

Ferguson's pre-match instructions had echoed the preparations for the European Cup final against Bayern Munich four years ago, when United had signalled their intentions by running adverts saying "Believe" in Barcelona's free newspapers.

Again Ferguson had implored his players to believe. Why should Beckham, Keane, Van Nistelrooy, Giggs and Scholes cower in the company of Raul, Ronaldo, Figo, Roberto Carlos and Zidane? Had they not just scored three without reply against Juventus at the Stadio delle Alpi?

Yet they were facing a team last night whose very ethos was summed up by the huge banner displayed by their most vociferous supporters, a picture of the European Cup with the words "Solo Una Obsession", and Beckham was not alone in suffering. Rio Ferdinand was left floundering for Raul's first goal and, even with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer lurking, there was little inspiration to be had among a list of substitutes incorporating Darren Fletcher, Quinton Fortune and Diego Forlan.

The time to address United's frailties in reserve was at the start of the season when Ferguson should have spent his £30m on three or four players rather than one, in Ferdinand, who is vastly overrated. Roy Keane, for one, seems to be rapidly losing patience with the most expensive defender in the world.

These are all things that will have plagued Ferguson's return trip to Manchester in the early hours. And as if anything could have made his night worse, Di Stefano was seated in the Bernabeu's vertiginous stands.